1. N A T U R E / L A N D S C A P E
C U L T U R E / H E R I T A G E
S P O R T / A D V E N T U R E
R U R A L / S E R E N I T Y
G A S T R O N O M Y / P R O D U C T S
T H E M E R O U T E S
A C C O M M O D A T I O N G U I D E
aralleida365english
www.aralleida.com
2. Publisher:
PatronatdeTurisme(TouristBoard)
oftheDiputaciódeLleida
Legal Deposit:
L.783-2013
Cover photo:
JordiV.Pou
Photography:
LocalCouncils,LocalDistrict
Councilsandbodiesresponsiblefor
organisingtheactivities.
Page16:OriolClavera
/OriolClavera/AjuntamentSort
/Fecoll/LaurenSansen/Patronat
Passió.Cervera
Page32:Dpt.Agricultura,
Ramaderia,Pesca,Alimentació
iMediNatural/EADE
(fotosproductes)
Pages38-39: DossierP&M/
FrancescTur/DeFoto
/LaurenSansen/CCPallarsJussà
Pages40-41:CCAltaRibagorça
/OriolClavera
Pages42-43:CCAltUrgell
(MarisaTartera)/CCGarrigues
/CamídelsBonsHomes
/CCAltUrgell
Pages44-45:DaviddelVal/
Missatges/CastellsdeLleida
/CCGarrigues
Pages46-47:Ajuntament
deBalaguer/M.JosepJové
/CCAltUrgell
Pages48-49:NelsonSouto
/LaurenSansen/CCSolsonès
/PereBascones
Pages50-51:LaurenSansen
/NanoCañas/CCSegarra
/FernandoBorràs
Pages52-53:CCSolsonès
/A.R.M.F./TurismeCerdanya
/M.JosepJové
Pages54-55:CCAltUrgell
/CC.Solsonès/RamonTorres
/LaurenSansen
Pages56-57:PatronatdeTurisme
AltaRibagorça/CCGarrigues
/LaurenSansen
Pages58-59:RafaelLópezMonné
/MikelHelsing/PallarsJussà
/CCSegrià
Pages60-61:MercèMonzonís
/CCUrgell/Ajuntament
deTorresdeSegre
Pages62-63:RogerGras
/MarcGarriga/CastelldelRemei
/CCGarrigues
Translation:
Riu-River
Vall-Valley
Serra-Mountains
Congost-Gorge
ParcNacional-NationalPark
ParcNatural-NaturalPark
Pantà-Reservoir
Estany-Pool
Patronat de Turisme
de la Diputació de Lleida
T.+34973245408
info@aralleida.com
www.aralleida.com
aralleida365
activities
in your hands
Android IphoneWindows Mobile
Free download aralleida365
N E W A P P A R A L L E I D A
HOW TO ARRIVE
Lleida Pyrenees Railway Station
HSTandRENFElocalservices
Pl.RamonBerenguerIVs/n
25006Lleida(elSegrià)
tel+34902432343
www.renfe.com
Lleida-Alguaire Airport
tel+34973032700
www.aeroportlleida.cat
Lleida Bus Station
Saracibar,2.25002Lleida
tel+34973268500
Tàrrega Bus Station
Migdia,4.25300Tàrrega
tel+34973310739
La Seu d’Urgell Bus Station
BisbeBenlloch,1.25700laSeud’Urgell
tel +34902422242
La Seu d’Urgell - Andorra
Airport
AeròdromdePirineus-LaSeud’Urgell
25711Montferrer(Lleida)
tel 973355324
aeroportlaseu.cat
Solsona Bus Station
Ctra.deBassella,s/n.25280Solsona
tel +34973481571
3. 3
Index N A T U R E / L A N D S C A P E
All
landscapes,
in
all colours
S P O R T / A D V E N T U R E
Living
the
landscape
G A S T R O N O M Y / P R O D U C T S
A C C O M M O D A T I O N G U I D E
R U R A L / S E R E N I T Y
T H E M E R O U T E S
Bringing
the taste
of the land
your plate
You will
feel
completely
at home
Discover
every inch
of Lleida
C U L T U R E / H E R I T A G E
Reliving
history
18
3024
4
10
36 64
Discover
the most
hidden
corners
5. 5
All
landscapes,
in
all colours
N A T U R E / L A N D S C A P E
Lleida is landscape. It offers a variety of
natural scenery to satisfy all tastes, all
intentionsandallviews.Fromthe3,143
metre altitude of the highest peak in the
Pyrenees,tothe78metrealtitudeofthe
lowestvillage,inthecomarca(localdis-
trict) of El Segrià and from the aridness
of the far west to the lush vegetation of
the centre of Catalonia, the territory is
snowwhite,forestandgrassgreen,trunk
andearthbrown,rockgrey,cropyellow
and water and sky blue. Mountains,
lakes, rivers, gorges, plains and slopes
are the natural habitats of thousands of
animal and vegetable species. All the
different types of terrain, all the colours
and all the smells; the whole spectacle.
6. 6
JordiBas
One of the best places
in the world from which
to observe the sky
Between the comarques (local dis-
tricts)ofLaNogueraandElPallars
Jussàthereisa40kmlonglimestone
massif covering an area of almost
20,000hectares.
Thisisanareaoftransitionbetwe-
enthemountainsandtheplainand
betweenthePyreneesandtheLands
ofLleida.Here,therivershavecar-
vedoutspectaculargorgesandhave
created three great Montsecs (dry
mountains):Montsecd’Ares,Mont-
secdeRúbiesandMontsecd’Estall.
This location presents a series of
uniquenight-skyqualitieswhich,in
combinationwiththeexistenceof
theAstronomicPark,haveleditto
berecognisedasaUNESCOStarlight
ReserveandTouristicDestination,a
distinctionofqualitywhichisawar-
dedtoplacesjudgedtobeidealforac-
tivitiesassociatedwiththenight-time
environmentandtheobservationof
thefirmament.Montsecisthesixth
placeintheworldtohavereceived
recognitionasaStarlightTouristic
Destinationandonlythethirdtohave
beendesignatedaStarlightReserve;
thisshowsthatitisaplacewherewe
canenjoytheskyinitispureststate.
Parc Astronòmic
Montsec
Centre d’Observació
de l’Univers. Àger
T. +34 973 455 246
parcastronomic.cat
8. 8
The Cadí-Moixeró
Natural Park
Withasurfaceareaofover40,000hec-
tares,theparkincludesterritoryinthe
LleidacomarquesofL’AltUrgelland
LaCerdanya.Thetwogreatsierras
ofCadíandMoixeróareconnected
by the Tancalaporta pass and form
animpressive30km-longmountain
barrier.Theiraltituderangesfrom800
mto2,648mandthemostoutstanding
peakisPedraforca,oneofthemost
symbolicmountainsinCataloniafor
mountaineersandapointofreference
forclimbers.Theparkboastsmore
than 400 km of sign-posted routes
which include GR-4, GR-7 and GR-
107(theGoodMen’sRoute).Thelow
temperatures,altitudeandhighlevel
of humidity combine to permit the
presenceofvegetationthatismore
typicalofnorthernEuropethanthe
Mediterranean.ANationalHunting
Reservewascreatedin1966,withthe
chamoisbeingitsmostprizedtrophy.
The Alt Pirineu Natural Park
LocatedinElPallarsSobiràandL’Alt
Urgellandwithanareaofalmost70,000
hectares,theAltPirineuNaturalParkis
thelargestparkofitstypeinCatalonia
andboastsagreatvarietyoflandscapes
andculture.Oneofthemostoutstanding
featuresisthePicad’Estats,thehighest
mountaininCatalonia(3,143.5m).Itis
bothaspaceofgreatnaturalvalue(in
termsofitsgeology,ecosystems,habitats
andanimalandvegetablespecies)anda
historicsettingforhumanactivity.This
hashelpedtoformitslandscape,making
itrichinarchaeologicalandarchitectu-
ralheritageandinprimarysectoracti-
vitiessuchaslivestockfarming.Itisde-
finedbythesumofitsculturalheritage,
economicactivityandnaturalbeauty.
Centre
d’Informació
del Parc
T. +34 938 244 151
parcsdecatalunya.net
MarcGarriga(ArxiuParcNaturaldel’AltPirineu)
OriolClavera
Parc Natural
de l’Alt Pirineu
T. +34 973 622 335
parcsdecatalunya.net
9. 9
IolandaSebé 21 natural spaces
Catalonia’sPlanforNaturalSpaces
ofInteresthastheobjectiveofgua-
ranteeing the conservation of the
country’sbiodiversityandnatural
heritage, in line with its scientific,
scenic and educational value. In
the Lands of Lleida and the Pyre-
nees, there are 21 of these protec-
tedspaces.TheseincludetheIvars
andVila-sanapool(ElPlad’Urgell),
which has also been catalogued as
aPlaceofImportancetotheLocal
CommunityandaSpecialProtecti-
onZoneforBirds.Itwasrecovered
in 2005, having previously been
dried out during the 1950s, and is
thelargestpoolininlandCatalonia,
with a surface area of 26 hectares
andaperimeterofsome6km.
11. 11
Reliving
history
Identityliesinscenery,gastronomyand
activity.Scenes,tastesandgestures.We
are while we are active. Ways of doing
and being, of celebrating, of building,
ofexpressing,whichareoftenhiddenby
the passage of time and which, in turn,
produce new day-to-day realities. But
witnessesremain:monuments,festivals
andconstructionswhichhelpustorelive
those old ways of life, every year, and
which also keep the community alive.
This is a community that is discovered,
which participates and which is recog-
nisedforitself.Ineachsmallcornerthere
is a legend, a tradition, a fair, a social
gathering,ahermitageorsitewitharc-
haeological remains to remind us who
we are and where we have come from.
“Falles” (burning logs) and fire, giants
and processions, churches and castles;
these are just a few of the elements that
stirourmemoriesandcarryusbackinto
a recent or remote past and whose ex-
pressionshavenowbecomeourheritage.
C U L T U R E / H E R I T A G E
12. 12
Romanesque
Art and Architecture
ThechurchesoftheValldeBoíform
the most outstanding group of Ro-
manesqueconstructionsinCatalo-
nia and were declared a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 2000. The
churchesare:Sta.MariaandSt.Cli-
mentdeTaüll—withitsemblematic
“Pantocrator”(ChristAlmighty),St.
Joan de Boí, Sta. Eulàlia d´Erill-la-
Vall, St. Feliu de Barruera, La Na-
tivitat and the Ermita de St. Quirc
deDurro,Sta.MariadeCardetand
L´AssumpciódeCóll.
Erill-la-Vall houses the Roma-
nesque Centre of the Vall de Boí,
where it is possible to find: practi-
calinformation,ashop,guidedvisit
services,activitiesandanexhibition
about everything associated with
the Romanesque art and architec-
tureofthisarea.
Centre for Romanesque
Art and Architecture
of the Vall de Boí
T. +34 973 696 715
centreromanic.com
9 churches
OriolClavera
13. 13
Cave Art
Ofallthearchaeologicalsiteswith
caveartthatweredeclaredpartofa
UNESCOWorldHeritageSite,the
Roca dels Moros (Moors’ Rock) of
El Cogul (Les Garrigues) is consi-
deredoneofthemostimportanton
the Iberian Peninsula. There, it is
possibletosee45figurescarvedin
stone which form part of a dance
scenethathasbeeninterpretedas
theperformanceofaphallicdance.
Differentinscriptionsshowthatthis
sitealsoservedasasanctuaryduring
IberianandRomantimes.Otherarc-
haeologicalsiteswithcaveartinthe
LandsofLleidacanbefoundatL’Albi
andLesBorgesBlanques(LesGarri-
gues),AlfésandLaGranjad’Escarp
(ElSegrià),VilanovadeMeià,Osde
Balaguer,AlòsdeBalaguer,Artesade
SegreandCamarasa(LaNoguera),
Peramola(L’AltUrgell),Tremp(El
PallarsJussà)andBellverdeCerda-
nya(LaCerdanya).
Roca dels Moros
Ajuntament del Cogul
T. +34 973 12 0 363
T. +34 973 12 0 110
45 human
figures
NelsonSouto
15. 15
TurismedelSolsonésLaurentSansen
The Monastery
of Santa Maria
de Vallbona
The Cistercian Route
The12th
centurymonasteryofSanta
Maria de Vallbona de les Monges,
in the comarca (local district) of
L’Urgell,isaCistercianmonastery
whichshowsthetransitionbetween
theRomanesqueandGothicstyles.
Together with the monasteries of
Poblet and Santes Creus, it forms
partoftheCistercianRoute.Itisthe
only one of the three to have been
inhabited by women and also the
only one to have uninterruptedly
conserved its religious commu-
nityforover850years.Ithasbeen
declared a Monument of Historic
andArtisticInterestandaninnfor
accommodatingitsvisitors.
Monestir de Vallbona
de les Monges
T. +34 973 330 266
Consell Comarcal
de l’Urgell
T. +34 973 500 707
larutadelcister.info
16. 16
Festivals of National Interest
River Rafters Festival of La Pobla de Segur Carnival of Solsona
Aplec del Caragol (Snailfest)
The Passion of Christ of Cervera
Rally of La Noguera Pallaresa
Falles (burning logs) of Isil
Fairs,festivities,gatherings,festivals...Participatinginthecelebrationsthattakeplacethroughout
thecomarques(localdistricts)ofthePyreneesandtheLandsofLleidaisoneofthebestwaystodiscover
thecharacterandcustomsofthelocalpeople.
ElPallarsJussà
ElSolsonès
ElSegrià
LaSegarraElPallarsSobirà
ElPallarsSobirà
17. 17
Lleida, the capital
The city of Lleida is the central fo-
cusofthewholeterritoryofLleida.
Thecity’smainmonumentalgroup
standshighontheSeuVellahill,oc-
cupyingaprivilegedposition. The
historicbuildingsonthishillinclude
theSeuVella(OldCathedral),which
hasbeenrecognisedasoneofthegre-
atestartisticproductsof13th
century
Catalanarchitecture,andtheCastell
delRei/Suda(King’sCastle).
Other unique buildings to high-
light include: the seat of the Insti-
tutd’EstudisIlerdencs(theformer
Santa Maria hospital); the Paeria
(CityHall)building;theseatofthe
Diputació de Lleida (provincial as-
sembly), the churches of Sant Llo-
renç and Sant Martí; the Diocesan
Museum;andtheLaLlotjaandPalau
deCongressos(conferencecentres).
Lleidawasalsothecityofbirthof
suchartistsasJaumeMorera,Enric
Granados,RicardViñesandLeandre
Cristòfol. Structured by the River
Segre,thecityiswellcommunicated.
Itisalsoauniversitycentreandfair
andconferencevenue.Initscentral
CarrerMajor(oldhighstreet),Lleida
alsohasoneofthelongestshopping
streetsinEurope.
Turisme de Lleida
T. +34 902 250 050
turismedelleida.com
MuseuDiocesàdeLleida.(JordiV.Pou).
19. 19
A
practical
landscape
S P O R T / A D V E N T U R E
In the Pyrenees and the Lands of Lleida,
it is possible to run, fly, ski, row, walk,
climb and pedal. This is a landscape to
admire but, above all, one to enter and
experience.Itistheretobetouchedand
felt and there are innumerable ways in
which to do this. From the high moun-
tains down to the plain, each hidden
corner offers hundreds of possibilities
and is there to be discovered, one pi-
ece at a time, whether by ski, canoe,
paraglider, bicycle or simply on foot.
It is fresh air and a world without limits.
And in each season of the year there
are different opportunities, because
everything changes: the colours, land
and smells, but still continues to be the
same: nature, body and senses.
20. 20
Enjoy the water
On the rivers and reservoirs – and
particularlythoseofthePyrenees–it
is possible to find both white water
and calm water activities. Visitors
canenjoyrafting—thekingofadven-
turesports—butalsocanyoning,ri-
vercanoeing,kayaking,hotdogging,
hydrospeed and canoeing etc. It is
alsopossibletodomotorisedsports,
such as motor boating, jet skiing,
water skiing and donuts. Without
themotor,visitorscanenjoysailing,
and windsurfing, to say nothing of
underwateractivities.
Enjoy the earth
Oneofthebestwaystoreallygetto
theveryheartoftheLandsofLleida
is to discover all of their most hid-
dencornersandtheveinsthatcarry
theirlifeblood:thepathsandtrails.
Trekking and mountain biking are
becomingincreasinglypopularand
more and more routes and circuits
are being created. Caving, canyon
jumps, routes on horseback and by
4-wheel-drivevehiclesandbungee
jumping are just some of the ways
to discover spectacular landscapes
throughdirect,first-handcontact.
Enjoy the air
The topography of the comarques
(local districts) of Lleida has crea-
tednumerouspointsfromwhichit
ispossibletoescapetheconfinesof
the earth and soar into the sky and
thencontemplatethelandscapefrom
the air. These lands regularly host
paragliding and hang-gliding word
championshipsandarealsoahabitual
venueforhot-airballooning,gliding,
microlightandhelicopterflights.
FrancescTur
Aiguadicció-Rialp
JordiV.Pou
21. 21
Destinations
for Sport Tourism
(DTE)
With this stamp, the Agència Cata-
lanadeTurisme(CatalanTourism
Agency)recognisesmunicipalities
whichhavehighqualityinfrastruc-
tureandservicesforsports.
White-water
canoeing
La Seu d’Urgell
parcolimpic.cat
Sort
kayaksort.cat
High-mountain
sporting activities
La Val d’Aran
visitvaldaran.com/ca/que-
hacer/turismo-activo
200
paragliding · hang-gliding hot
air ballooning · microlights
RAFTING · CANYONING
RIVER CANOEING · KAYAKS
HOT DOGGING · HYDROSPEED
CANOEING · JET SKIS
WATERSKIING · DONUTS · SAILING
WIND SURFING · DIVING
TREKKING · CAVING · MOUNTAIN
BIKING · CANYON JUMPS · 4X4
VEHICLES · HORSE RIDING ROUTES
BUNGEE JUMPS
ADVENTURE
SPORTS
COMPANIES
BIG GAME
MINOR GAME
FISHING IN RIVERS,
MOUNTAIN LAKES
AND RESERVOIRS
GOLF COURSES
MTB
PITCH&PUTT
CENTRES
7
6
Sports
AIR
WATER
LAND
MikelHelsing
23. 23
Baqueira Beret
ALPINE/NORDIC · 2.510 M
Salardú (La Val d’Aran)
baqueira.es
Boí Taüll Resort
ALPINE · 2.751 M
la Vall de Boí (L’Alta Ribagorça)
boitaullresort.com
Port Ainé
ALPINE · 2.440 M
Rialp (El Pallars Sobirà)
skipallars.cat
Port del Comte
ALPINE · 2.400 M
La Coma i la Pedra (Solsonès)
portdelcomte.net
Espot Esquí
ALPINE · 2.500 M
Rialp (El Pallars Sobirà)
skipallars.cat
Aransa
NORDIC · 2.150 M
Aransa (La Cerdanya)
aransaski.cat
Lles de Cerdanya
NORDIC · 2.335 M
Lles de Cerdanya (La Cerdanya)
lles.net
Tuixent-La Vansa
NORDIC 2.150 M
Tuixent (L’Alt Urgell)
tuixent-lavansa.com
Sant Joan de l’Erm
NORDIC ·2.080 M
Castellbò (L’Alt Urgell)
santjoandelerm.com
Tavascan-Pleta del Prat
ALPINE/NORDIC · 2.250 M
Tavascan (El Pallars Sobirà)
tavascan.net
Virós-Vallferrera
NORDIC · 2.200 M
Llavorsí (El Pallars Sobirà)
yetiemotions.com
505 KM OF ALPINE SKIING, NORDIC SKIING AND SNOWSHOEING SLOPES
OriolClaveraOriolClavera
25. 25
Discovering
the most
hidden
corners
R U R A L / S E R E N I T Y
Here time does not stop, but it moves
at a different speed. The rhythm of the
country,therhythmofthecropsandthe
rhythm of the villages; and with them,
all their festivals and traditions. Here,
the past is still with us; its legacy is an
everydayrealityanditisfamiliar;people
takealonglookatthings,asifweighing
thingsup inordertoface the future with
confidence.Thethreadofhistorycontinu-
esthroughthelanguageoftheold,which
comes from where everything started.
Anditstartsagain,oneachnewday,like
a wheel, with the progress of each new
turn, on the market stalls, in the furrows
of the ploughed earth, in the ringing of
thechurchbells,inthebarrelswherecats
hide,intheyardsandintheattics,inthe
wordsandsayings,inthepatienceandin
theeffort,inreflectionandinrest.Itisan
identity that has been gradually woven
and constructed in each hidden corner,
fromgesturetogesture,linkingtogether
generations that contrast a past with a
dynamic and modern present.
26. 26
793,000
230municipalities
160 have fewer
than 1,000 inhabitants
Silence
land area dedicated
to the primary sectorHa
36.3PEOPLE
KM2
It is in the villages of Lleida
thattheessenceofcountrylife
ismaintained.Thisisintense,
butalsoserene,providingnatu-
ralwarmth, far from standard
conventionsandallthehustle
andbustle.Itreflectsthecalm
wisdom of the people, stones,
treesandwind.
OriolClavera
29. 29
Olive Oil Theme Park
of Les Borges Blanques
LES GARRIGUES
The production of olive oil at differ-
ent periods inhistory, observing and
studying the evolution of the tools
and procedures used.
T. +34 973 140 018
grupsalat.cat
Museum of El Montsec
of Artesa de Segre
LA NOGUERA
Ethnological museum with mono-
graphic exhibitions dedicated to
rural life.
T. +34 973 400 013
artesadesegre.cat
Cultural Space
of the Canals d’Urgell
(ECCU) of Mollerussa
EL PLA D’URGELL
“The dream of water” explains the
construction of the Canal d’Urgell
and how its waters have had a posi-
tive effect on the 5 comarques (local
districts) that they irrigate.
T. +34 973 603 997
canalsurgell.org
Wheat and Rural Workers
Museum of Cervera
LA SEGARRA
Ethnographicmuseumwhichoffersa
significantinsightintoculturalmate-
rialassociatedwithvariousactivities
that form an essential part of rural
life. (Temporarily closed for recon-
version work)
T. +34 973 533 917
ccsegarra.cat
Herbal Remedy Museum
of Tuixent
L’ALT URGELL
Museumthatremembersthisage-old
occupation: the trementinaires (sell-
ers of herbal remedies) were people
withknowledgeoftraditionalherbal
andnaturalremediesforcuringpeo-
ple and animals.
T. +34 973 370 030
trementinaires.org
Ecomuseum of the Vall
d’Ora at Navès
EL SOLSONÈS
Visit the saw mill and the flour mill of
Cal’Ambròs,theruralschoolwithits
exhibitionoftraditionaltoolsandthe
Romanesque-style bridge.
T. +34 973 299 045
turismesolsones.com
Çò de Joanchiquet
Ecomuseum at Vilamòs
LA VAL D’ARAN
Here, visitors can travel back in time
todiscoverwhatday-to-daylifeused
tobelikeinthepastthroughavisitto
a traditional Aranese house.
T. +34 973 641 815
visitvaldaran.com
Ecomuseum
of the Valls d’Àneu
EL PALLARS SOBIRÀ
Discover the natural and cultural re-
ality of the Aneu valleys and learn
about the changes that have taken
place over recent decades. Unlike
traditionalmuseums,theEcomuseum
is not shut away in a building but ex-
tendsacrossthelocalterritorywhere
itexplainsthelifeofthelocalvalleys.
T. +34 973 626 244
ecomuseu.com
River Rafters’ Museum
of La Pobla de Segur
EL PALLARS JUSSÀ
Dedicatedtothestudyanddissemina-
tionofinformationabouttransporting
timberdownriversandrecoveringand
conserving the heritage associated
with the lost practice of river rafting.
T. +34 973 681 493
elsraiers.cat
Bunker Park
at Martinet i Montellà
LA CERDANYA
Through a museum display and a
visit to the bunkers, the visitor cen-
tre at the Bunker Park recreates the
world that saw these constructions
being built.
T. +34 648 141070
bunquersmartinet.net
J. Trepat Agricultural
Mechanisation Museum
of Tàrrega
L’URGELL
Enter the premises of what used to
beanagriculturalmachineryfactory
and is now a Museum of Agricultural
Mechanisationandbeginatripback
throughthetunnelsoftimetoafoundry
at the beginning of the 20th
century.
T. +34 973 311616
museutrepat.cat
Josep Jané Periu
Local Museum
EL SEGRIÀ
EthnologicalcollectionofTorrebess-
es: a museum of household objects,
country life and local craft tools,
with collections of pottery, imagery,
documents and prehistoric remains.
T. +34 973 126 399
fundaciojosepjane.org
RURAL MUSEUMS
31. 31
Bringing
the taste
of the land
to your plate
Cuisine and food products vary from one
place to another in the same way that
the natural environment and patterns of
human settlement also vary. The Lands
of Lleida are therefore defined by a wide
variety of products which, given their
recognised quality, have generated an
almost infinite range of quality dishes.
In the Pyrenees, the most important food
productsaremeat,fishandgamefromthe
local herds, rivers, meadows and forests.
Typicaldishesinclude:stews,curedmeats,
turnips and cabbages, soups, mushro-
oms, cheeses and butters. In the Lands of
Lleida to the south, the salient products
are pork, minor game, kitchen garden
and orchard products, fruit and dry land
produce. Typical dishes include: rabbit,
snails,artichokes,spinach,pears,apples,
olive oil and wine. Each dish represents a
different natural setting, but they all have
a single common ingredient: when you
prepare your table with products from
the Lands of Lleida, you really bring the
taste of the land to the palate.
G A S T R O N O M Y / P R O D U C T
32. 32
DOP Cheese
from L’Alt Urgell and La Cerdanya
Designation of origin
DOP Butter
fom L’Alt Urgell and La Cerdanya
dop-alturgell-cerdanya.com
dop-alturgell-cerdanya.com
DOP Pear
from Lleida
peradelleida.es
IGP
Veal from the Pyrenees
IGP Almond Nougat
from Agramunt
DOP Olive Oil from Les Garrigues
olidoplesgarrigues.com
vedellapirineus.cat
DO
Costers del Segre
costersdelsegre.es
igp-torrodagramunt.com
33. 33
DE LA TERRA A LA FIRA
La Fira de l’Oli de Qualitat
Verge Extra de les Borges
Blanques
LES GARRIGUES
L’exposició d’olis dels diferents mo-
lins i cooperatives i jornades tècni-
ques. També hi té lloc la preparació
d’una cassola de tros.
T. 973 142 805
firaoli.cat
Les Cassoles de Fondarella
EL PLA D’URGELL
S’hi serveix la típica cassola de tros;
se celebra per la Festa Major el pri-
mer cap de setmana de setembre.
T. 973 600 082
fondarella.ddl.net
La Festa del Ranxo de Ponts
LA NOGUERA
Cocciópúblicad’unamenad’escude-
lla grassa i de pagès, el Ranxo, amb
tastielrepartimentperatothom.Va
acompanyatd’unmercatdeproduc-
tesalimentarisiartesansdelterritori.
T. 973 462 233
ponts.cat
La Fira de Sant Isidre
de Cervera
LA SEGARRA
Fira multisectorial en què el món del
pa és un referent. (Cap de setmana
més proper al 15 de maig)
T. 973 530 025
cerverapaeria.cat/ajuntament-ca
La Fira Cóc de Tàrrega
L’URGELL
Mostra de cócs de l’Urgell i d’altres
zonesd’EspanyaiFrança.Exposició
i venda de coques de recapte, pro-
ductes de fleca i pastisseria. Tastets
dediferentsproductesgastronòmics.
(Festa Major de Maig)
T. 973 311 608
tarrega.cat
Aplec del Cargol
de Lleida
EL SEGRIÀ
FestagastronòmicadeclaradaFesta
Nacional d’Interès Tradicional i or-
ganitzada al voltant de la cuina del
cargol que se celebra a la ciutat de
Lleida al final de maig.
T. 973 281 473
aplec.org
La Fira de Sant Ermengol
de la Seu d’Urgell
L’ALT URGELL
És la fira de formatges artesans del
Pirineu, que inclou un espai de de-
gustació i venda per part dels pro-
ductors,unaJornadaTècnica,tastos
guiats, presentacions i el Concurs
de Formatges Artesans del Pirineu.
T. 973 350 010
firasantermengol.cat
La Fira del bolet
i el boletaire de Solsona
EL SOLSONÈS
Mostra dedicada al bolet i a la gas-
tronomia de tardor. Inici de les Jor-
nadesGastronòmiquesdelSolsonès.
T. 973 482 310 · solsonafires.cat
hostaleriadelsolsones.com
Degusta els productes
de la Marca Garantia
de la Val d’Aran
LA VAL D’ARAN
Són els productes que formen part
de la Marca de Garantia de la Val
d’Aran, que poden comprar-se en
establiments especialitzats.
T. 973 641 801
productesvaldaran.com
El Carnaval
i ball de la passa
ÀREU, ESPOT, ESTERRI D’ÀNEU,
GERRI DE LA SAL, LLADORRE, LLAVORSÍ,
RIALP, RIBERA DE CARDÓS I SORT.
EL PALLARS SOBIRÀ
Vianda, ball de la passa, disfresses i
calderada popular. Es recomana la
degustació del farcit de carnaval,
plat típic d’aquest dia, i gaudir del
ball de nit.
T. 973 621 002
pallarssobira.info
La tardor gastronòmica
del Bolet
EL PALLARS JUSSÀ
Xerradesidegustacionsdeplatscui-
nats amb bolets, sortides a diversos
boscos i una exposició de bolets.
Alhora els restauradors ofereixen
menús temàtics sobre els bolets.
T. 973 650 187
pallarsjussa.net
La Fira de Sant Llorenç
de Bellver
LA CERDANYA
Mostra de productes alimentaris
artesanals i música tradicional del
Pirineu. La fira se celebra en el marc
de la magnífica plaça porxada de
Bellver.
T. 973 510 016
bellver.org
Les Jornades
Gastronòmiques
del Bolet
L’ALTA RIBAGORÇA
Diferents restaurants de la comarca
elaboren el menú dels bolets tots els
caps de setmana del mes d’octubre
i la primera quinzena de novembre.
T. 973 690 402
turismealtaribagorca.cat
LaurenSansen
FROM THE LAND TO THE FAIR
Quality Extra Virgin Olive
Oil Fair of Les Borges
Blanques
LES GARRIGUES
Exhibition of olive oils from the
different mills and cooperatives and
technical meetings. The event will
also feature the cooking of a traditi-
onalcassoladetros(ruralcasserole).
T. +34 973 142 805
firaoli.cat
Casseroles of Fondarella
EL PLA D’URGELL
Serving of a typical cassola de
tros; this will take place on the first
weekend in September, coinciding
with the local Festa Major.
T. +34 973 600 082
fondarella.ddl.net
“Ranxo” Festival of Ponts
LA NOGUERA
This public cooking of the thick rural
escudella(typicalsoupstew)knownas
“Ranxo”isfollowedbyapublictasting
thatisopentoeveryone.Therewillalso
beamarketoftraditionallymadefood
productsfromthelocalarea.
T. +34 973 462 233
ponts.cat
Fair of Sant Isidre
of Cervera
LA SEGARRA
A multi-sector fair in which bread
is the central product. (Over the
weekend nearest to 15th
May)
T. +34 973 530 025
cerverapaeria.cat/ajuntament-ca
Cóc Fair of Tàrrega
L’URGELL
An exhibition of cócs (a type of sa-
voury pizza) from L’Urgell and from
other parts of Spain and France.
Exhibition and sale of coques de
recapte (savoury pizzas) and other
bakeryandpastryproducts.Tastings
of different gastronomic products
(Main Festival of May)
T. +34 973 311 608
tarrega.cat
Snailfest of Lleida
EL SEGRIÀ
A gastronomic festival that has been
declared a National Festival of Tra-
ditional Interest and whose central
focus is the cooking of snails; this
event takes place in the city of Lleida
at the end of May.
T. +34 973 281 473
aplec.org
Fair of Sant Ermengol
of La Seu d’Urgell
L’ALT URGELL
The traditionally-made cheese fair of
thePyrenees;theeventincludes:ache-
ese tasting; the sale of cheeses by their
producers;atechnicalmeeting;guided
tastings;presentations;andtheArtisa-
nalCheesesofthePyreneescompetition.
T. +34 973 350 010
firasantermengol.cat
Mushroom and Mushroom
Pickers Fair of Solsona
EL SOLSONÈS
An exhibition dedicated to the
mushroom and to autumn gastro-
nomy in general, combined with the
GastronomicSessionsofElSolsonès.
T.+34973482310·solsonafires.cat
hostaleriadelsolsones.com
Tasting of Guaranteed
Brand Products
of the Val d’Aran
LA VAL D’ARAN
These are all products with the Gua-
ranteedBrandoftheVald’Aranand
canbeboughtfromspecialisedshops.
T. +34 973 641 801
productesvaldaran.com
Carnival and the “Passa”
dance
ÀREU, ESPOT, ESTERRI D’ÀNEU,
GERRI DE LA SAL, LLADORRE, LLAVORSÍ,
RIALP, RIBERA DE CARDÓS AND SORT.
EL PALLARS SOBIRÀ
Thiseventcombinesfood,theballde
la“Passa”(traditionaldance),fancy
dress and a communal hotpot. Visi-
tors are particularly recommended
to try the farcit de carnival, a typical
dish associated with this event, and
to enjoy the evening dance.
T. +34 973 621 002
pallarssobira.info
Autumn Mushroom
Gastronomy
EL PALLARS JUSSÀ
The event includes talks, tastings
of dishes based on mushrooms, ou-
tings to different local woods and
a mushroom exhibition. Various
restaurants offer thematic menus
relating to mushrooms.
T. +34 973 650 187
pallarsjussa.net
The Fair of Sant Llorenç
of Bellver
LA CERDANYA
Exhibitionoftraditionally-madefood
products and the traditional music of
the Pyrenees. This fair is held in the
magnificentarcadedsquareofBellver.
T. +34 973 510 016
bellver.org
Gastronomic Sessions
of the Mushroom
L’ALTA RIBAGORÇA
Different restaurants from the co-
marca (local district) will prepare
menus based on mushrooms; every
weekend in October and during the
first fortnight of November.
T. +34 973 690 402
turismealtaribagorca.cat
34. 34
EADE
20,000
793,000
arable
and livestock farms
fairs, exhibitions
and gastronomic
sessions in each
comarca
different food
quality
classifications7
Quantity
&quality
land dedicated
to primary sector
productionHa
Itissaidthatthecomarques(lo-
caldistricts)ofLleidaarethefood
storeofCatalonia.Thisiswhere
livestockandarablefarmingare
mostimportant,bothintermsof
theareasfarmedandtheirecono-
micimportance.Thevastextent
ofthisterritory,whichstretches
fromthemountainsofthePyre-
nees down to the Lleida plain,
meansthatyouwillfindalmost
everythingyoudesireonitsta-
bles,atitsrestaurantsandinits
foodshops.Thereareathousand
andoneexquisitedelightstocho-
osefromineachcomarca.
35. 35
GASTRONOMIC ASSOCIATIONS AND ENTITIES
Traditionally Made Foods
of the Pyrenees
T. +34 973 510 494
Catering Association
of L’Alt Urgell
T. +34 973 355 330
Guild of Sant Sebastià
T. +34 973 690 402
Culinary Association
of the Pyrenees. Tourist
Reception Centre
of Puigcerdà
T. +34 972 880 816
cuinapirinenca.com
Association of Bars
and Restaurants
of La Cerdanya
T. +34 678 444 650
restbarcerdanya.com
Guaranteed Food Product
Brand of the Val d’Aran
T. +34 973 641 801
productesvaldaran.com
Catering Guild
of the Val d’Aran
T. +34 973 640 601
Catering School of Les
T. +34 973 647 242
iesostalaria.com
Association of Restaurants
of La Noguera.
Noguera Cuisine
T. +34 973 400 709
nogueracuina.com
Catering Association of El
Pallars Sobirà
T. +34 973 620 000
Association La Xicoia
T. +34 669 905 269
T. +34 669 905 266
laxicoia.com
Del Tros al Plat. Producers
of El Pallars Sobirà
Tel: +34 973 621 002
http://deltrosalplat.blogsport.com
APAT (Associació
de Professionals de l’Àmbit
Turístic). Pallars Jussà
T. 973 661 700
Amb els 5 sentits
T. 973 650 187 (Consell Comarcal
del Pallars Jussà)
ALL. Association of Chefs
of Lleida
T. +34 973 289 238
Friends of the Cod
T. +34 973 232 304
Hotel, Catering and Tourism
School of Lleida
T. +34 973 281 180
xtec.cat/iesescolahoteleriadelleida
Catering Federation
of Lleida Province
T. +34 973 248 858
hostaler.org
Catering Guild
of El Solsonès
T. +34 606 247 069
hostaleriadelsolsones.com
Association for
the Promotion of Quality
Products from El Solsonès
T. +34 639 132 093
artesansdelsolsones.com
GUSTUM
gustum.org
f InfoGustum
t gustum
LaurentSansenDefoto
Gustumisaninterregionalco-
operation project (Lleida, the
BasqueCountryandtheBalearic
Islands)whoseobjectiveistofos-
terruraldevelopmentthrough
the promotion of quality food
productsfromlocalterritories
andbyexploitingsynergieswith
thecatering,tourismandtrading
sectors.TheGustumprojectis
coordinated by the Urgell-Pla
d’UrgellLeaderConsortiumand
itsdifferentphasesarefinanced
bySpain’sMinistryofAgricultu-
re, Food and the Natural Envi-
ronment (MAGRANA) and by
the Generalitat de Catalunya’s
DepartmentofAgriculture,Li-
vestockFarming,Fisheries,Food
andtheNaturalEnvironment.
38. 38
Theme routes
C U L T U R E
39
The Cistercian Route
The Time Route
40-41
The Romanesque Route
42
The Pyrenees of the Counts
The Vaulted Stone Shelter Route
43
The Good Men’s Route
The Old Trade’s Route
44
The Historic Monument
Route Of Lleida
Secret Lleida
45
The Templar Route
The Cave Art Route
46
The Castle Routes
47
The Castles of the River Sió Route
The Picasso Route
48
The Dolmen Route
The Way of Saint James
63
The Wine Route of Lleida
The Olive Oil Route
49
Route to Olius and the
Geographic Centre of Catalonia
The Àssua Valley and El Batlliu
50
The Path to Freedom
and the Prison-Museum of Sort
The Ignatian Way
51
L-2: the Republican
Defensive Line
The Arnau Mir de Tost Route
52
The Vall d’Ora
G A S T R O N O M Y
52
The Lakes Train
53
The Reapers’ Route
Route through
the Llobregós River Valley
54
Route of the Minairons
A Natural World
55
The Valley of the Vultures
N A T U R E
Routes to the Ivars
and Vila-sana Pool
56
The Water Route
The Les Garrigues Canal
57
The Ornithological Route
58
On Foot through the Val d’Aran
By bicycle through the Val d’Aran
59
The Green Route
through the Vall Fosca
From Almatret to the “La Pena” cliff
60
Living Pathways
61
Routes along the Canal d’Urgell
Routes through Utxesa
62
The Mediaeval Bridges Route
The Old Forges Route
*Add+34forcallsmadefromoutsideSpain
39. 39
The late Romanesque and gothic transition style mo-
nasteriesofPoblet,VallbonadelesMongesandSantes
Creuswerefoundedinthe12th
centuryandconstitute
one of the most outstanding groups of inhabited Cis-
tercianbuildingsinEurope.Theyarealsothedefinitive
expressionoftheartistic,culturalandhistoriclegacyof
thispartofinlandCatalonia.Thethreecentreshavebeen
declaredMonumentsofHistoricandArtisticInterest
bytheSpanishstateandPoblethasalsobeendeclareda
UNESCOWorldHeritageSite.TheCistercianorderwas
foundedinFranceintheyear1098byagroupofmonks
whosworetoliveaccordingtotheRuleofSaintBenedict:
prayer,work,austerity,meditationandpoverty.Aswell
asthethreemonasteries,theCistercianRoutewillalso
allowvisitorstodiscoverthetraditions,gastronomy,crafts
andnaturalspacesofthe65municipalitiesinthearea.
Oraetlabora:
Monastic
austerityinthe
LandsofLleida
The Cistercian Route
$
Monuments
of Historic
and Artistic
Interest
Guided
visits
Consell Comarcal de l’Urgell
T. 973 500 707 · urgell.cat
La Ruta del Cister
T. 973 500 707 · larutadelcister.info
parc-cretaci.com · T. 973 665 062
collnargo.com · T. 973 383 048
elsraiers.cat · T. 973 680 132
ecomuseu.com · T. 973 626 436
Thisrouteincludesthreepeculiarmuseums:theMuseumof
LaConcaDellà,theMuseumofRiverRaftersatPontdeCla-
verolandtheEcologicalMuseumoftheVallsd’ÀneuatEsterri
d’Àneu.Thesearedifferenttypesofmuseumsbutwithone
commondenominator:theyareallreferencestothepastof
thisterritory.TheMuseumofLaConcaDellàandtheMuseum
ofColldeNargótakeusonatripbacktothemostremoteof
timeswhenthisareawasinhabitedbydinosaurs.Thereare
guidedvisitstothecretaceousremainsofBasturs,wherea
largenumberofdinosaureggscanbeseen,someofwhichare
gatheredtogetherinnests.VisitorscanalsovisitthePosasite,
whichincludesasetofmorethan2,000remainsthatshowthe
presenceoffeedingmantarays.TheRiverRafters’Museum
offersthepossibilitytotravelbacktoarealitythatisrather
closertous:theworldofriverrafters.Thislosttradesurvived
untilthe1930swhenthebuildingofreservoirsmadetrans-
portationalongtheriverimpossible.Finally,theEcological
MuseumoftheVallsd’Àneushowsusthetraditionaleveryday
lifeofthemountainswhichisillustratedindifferentroomsat
CasaGassia.Visitorsarealso
advisedtolookattheenclosed
villagesofPerameaandEsca-
ló,theabandonedsettlement
ofSantaCreudeLlagunesand
theTimberMuseumofÀreu.
Dinosaursand
themountainthat
nolongerexists
The Time Route
goo.gl/maps/T0B7p goo.gl/maps/QQOQw
QY
Q
40. 40
Year1000:
artandarchitecture
foranewmillennium
The Romanesque Route
Atthesametimethatthecountiesthatlietothesouthof
thePyreneesbrokefreefromtheEmpireofCharlemag-
ne, they underwent a deep-seated artistic renovation
with the introduction of the Romanesque style which
hademergedinthenorthofItalyinabouttheyear1000.
Thisthenbecamethemainmovementinarchitecture,
paintingandsculptureinthisareauntiltheendofthe
13th
century when the gothic style began to take over.
AlthoughtheRomanesquestylespreadacrossthewhole
geographyofLleida,itsgreatestexpressionistobefound
intheValldeBoíintheformofasetofninetemplesthat
have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
TheRomanesqueCentreoftheValldeBoí,locatednext
to the church of Erill-la-Vall, is the place responsible
for disseminating information about this and related
themestovisitors.
L’Alta RibagorçaThechurchesoftheValldeBoí
(L’AltaRibagorça)formthemostoutstandingsetofRo-
manesqueconstructionsinCataloniaandweredeclared
aUNESCOWorldHeritageSitein2000.Theyinclude
the churches of Boí, Santa Maria and Sant Climent of
Taüll,Durro,BarrueraandErill-la-Vall.ThePantocrator
(ChristAlmighty)ofSantClimentdeTaüllisoneofthe
mostemblematicelementsinthegroup.
La Val d’AranThefirstsurprisingfeatureoftheVal
d’Aranresidesintheircharacteristicpointedbelfrieswhich
showaclearGasconinfluence.AswellastheirRomanes-
queandgothicarchitecture,theinteriorsofthechurches
ofBossòst,Vielha,Escunhau,Arties,Tredòs,Salardúand
Unhaalsohouseextensivesetsofmuralpaintingsand
relevantworksofRomanesqueimagery,includingthe
ChristofMijaranandtheHolyCrossofSalardú.
El Pallars Sobirà Romanesque church of Sant
JoanofIsil.GroupofRomanesquebuildingsofSondel
Pi (church of Sant Just i Sant Pastor of Son). Church
and Romanesque paintings of Sant Pau i Sant Pere of
Esterri de Cardós. Church, engravings and paintings
of Santa Maria of Ginestarre. Romanesque-style her-
mitage of Santa Eulàlia of Alendo. Monastery of Sant
PeredeBurgal,Escaló.ChurchofSantaMariaofÀneu.
Romanesque church of Sant Iscle i Santa Victòria of
Surp. Romanesque church of Santa Maria of Ribera
deCardós.MonasteryofSantaMariaofGerridelaSal.
HermitageofNostraSenyorad’Arboló.
El Pallars JussàHistoricgroupofMur:castleand
religiouscommunityofSantaMaria.Historicgroupof
Llordà:castleandreligiouscommunityofSantSadurní.
Churches of the Vall Fosca: Sant Vicenç of Capdella,
Sant Martí of La Torre de Capdella and Sant Julià of
Espui. Church of Santa Maria of Covet. Church of the
VergedelaCintaofLlimiana.ChurchofSantEsteveof
AbelladelaConca.
La Cerdanya Groupofrelativelysmallbuildings
amongst which the most outstanding are the former
religious community of Santa Maria of Talló and the
parishchurchofSantPereofAlp.
L’Alt Urgell LaSeud’Urgell:cathedralofSantMa-
ria,churchofSantMiquelandtheDiocesanMuseum.
Castellbò:collegiatechurchofSantaMaria.Estamariu:
church of Santa Maria. Organyà: collegiate church of
Santa Maria. Coll de Nargó: church of Sant Climent.
Valldarques:churchofSantRomà.Oliana:chapelofSant
Andreu.Peramola:MaredeDéuofCastell-llebre. An-
serall:SantSerniofTavèrnoles.SantMaximíofSallent.
41. 41
T. 973 248 840
aralleida.com goo.gl/maps/ZvAVq
Q
Sant Joan of Montanissell. Sant Romà of Valldarques.
Sant Martí of La Plana. Sant Miquel de les Masies of
Nargó.SantSerniofGavarra.
La Noguera Camarasa:watchtowerandchurchof
BaroniadeSantOïsme.Àger:collegiatechurchofSant
Pere. Les Avellanes: church of Santa Maria. Cubells:
churchofElCastell.Balaguer:monasteryofSantaMaria
de les Franqueses. La Baronia de Rialb: monastery of
SantaMariaofGualter,SantaMariaofPalau,SantIscle
iSantaVictòriaofLaTorreandSantAndreuofElPuig.
Ponts:collegiatechurchofSantPere.
El SolsonèsSolsona:cathedralofSolsona(apseand
belfry), Marededéu del Claustre, paintings of Pedret,
virgins, capitals and iconographic representations at
the Diocesan and local District Museum of Solsona.
Olius:churchandcryptofSantEsteve.SantLlorençde
Morunys:churchandcloisteroftheformermonastery.
Navès:churchofSantPeredeGraudescales,churchof
La Móra Comdal and Romanesque bridge of the Vall
d’Ora. Clariana de Cardener: churches of Santa Àgata
andSantMartíofJoval.Guixers:churchesofSantSerni
of El Grau, Santa Creu of Els Ollers and Sant Martí of
GuixersandtheRomanesquebridgeofVall-llonga.Pinell
deSolsonès:churchandwalledsettlementofSantCli-
mençandchurchofSantPereofMadrona.Castellardela
Ribera:churchofSantJuliàofCeuró.Lladurs:churches
of Santa Eulàlia of Timoneda and Sant Sadurní of La
Llena.Llobera:churchesofSantaMariaofTorredenagó,
SantaMariaofMontravetaandSantPereofLlobera.La
ComailaPedra:churchesofSantQuirze,SantaJulitaof
LaComa,SantSadurníofLaPedra,SantaMagdalenaof
LesTragines,SantCristòfolofElsPasqüets,SantLleïr
ofCasavellaandSantaCreuofElRoser.
El Segrià Lleida: cathedral of La Seu Vella, church
of Sant Llorenç, church of Sant Martí, La Paeria (City
Councilbuilding).
Les Garrigues ChurchofGranyena.ChurchofSant
JoanBaptista,Vinaixa.HermitageofSantSalvador,Les
BorgesBlanques.RomanesqueportalofBovera.Chapel
ofSantMiqueldelesBorgetes,Arbeca.ChurchofSanta
Maria,Fulleda.
L’UrgellAgramunt:churchofSantaMaria.Vallbona
de les Monges: Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria.
Tàrrega:palaceofthemarquisesofLaFloresta.Maldà:
churchofSantPere.Verdú:castleandchurchofSanta
Maria.Vilagrassa:monumentalportalofthechurchof
SantaMaria.
La Segarra Cervera: church of Sant Pere el Gros,
monumentalportalofSantMartíofthechurchofSanta
Maria. Massoteres: Sant Pere of Talteüll. Els Plans de
Sió:SantEsteveofPelagallsandSantSalvadorofCon-
cabella.Torà:churchoftheformermonasteryofCellers.
LesOluges:SantPereofSantaFe.Talavera:SantJaume
ofPallerols.TorrefetaiFlorejacs:SantJuliàofElLlor.
Guided
visits
42. 42
Generalitat de Catalunya
T. 973 248 840
gencat.cat
Takeatripbacktothe11th
,12th
and13th
centuriesthrough
monuments,museumsandemblematicmedievalcons-
tructions.Theseuniquenaturalsettingsandcountryside
bringvisitorsclosertothebirthofCatalonia,aterritory
whichemergedfromthecountiesofthePyreneanand
Pre-Pyreneanfringes.Therouteisdividedaccordingto
thethirteenoldcounties,sevenofwhicharelocatedin
theLandsofLleida.Itispossibletotravelthroughthis
area,fromplacetoplace,followingtwo5-dayitineraries,
or to make a series of weekend visits to one county or
another. The routes, which are theme-based, make it
possibletodiscoverthepowerofsomeoftheterritory’s
noblewomen,itsdifferentreligiousbeliefs,themeaning
ofdifferentimagesfromthemedievalperiod,thefirst
textswrittenintheCatalanlanguageandthestruggles
forpower.
Thebirth
ofCataloniain
theMiddleAges
The Pyrenees of the Counts
Whole route
option and routes
through
a particular
comarca option
goo.gl/maps/ipGJm
Guided
visitsQ
One of the most differentiating cultural elements of
thecomarca(localdistrict)ofLesGarriguesisitsvaul-
ted stone shelters; these are dry stone constructions
which are closely linked to the growing of olive trees.
Longdaysspentworkinginthefieldsandfarfromthe
villagesmadeitnecessarytohavesomewheretorestthe
working animals and for rural workers to shelter. The
peculiar way in which these shelters are constructed,
withoutanythingbeingusedtobindthestonestogether
and with dirt-covered barrel vault ceilings, gives the
outward impression of them being small mounds of
earth. Around 1,100 of these constructions have been
cataloguedinLesGarrigues.Thisroutetakesvisitorsto
nineofthemandalsotosomeotherstoneconstructions,
includingwaterdeposits,channelsandtanks.
Drystone
amongst
theolivetrees
The Vaulted Stone Shelter Route
55
km
3
hours
Consell Comarcal
de les Garrigues
T. 973 142 658
turismegarrigues.com goo.gl/maps/cIw8H
Y
Q$
44. 44
Turisme de Lleida
T. 973 700 402
turismedelleida.cat
On line
booking
Thecapitaloftheterritorycanbediscoveredinmanydiffe-
rentways,butoneofthemostspectacularisbyvisitingthe
mosticonictreasuresofthecity,whicharetheiconsofits
veryhistory.Forexample,thePaeriaPalace,whichisthe
presentseatoftheCityCouncil,isoneofthemostimpor-
tantexamplesofRomanesque-stylecivilarchitecturein
Cataloniaandcontainsmonumentalremainswhichdate
fromthe5th
centuryBCEthroughuntilthe18th
centuryCE.
TheSeuVellahill,whichprovidesthemosticonicimage
ofthecityanditsbestvantagepoint,alsohousesthelon-
gesthistoricwalledperimeterinEurope,theoldMuslim
fortressknownasofLaSudaandtheSeuVellacathedral,a
Romanesque-Gothicarchitecturalensembleconsistingof
atemple,cloisterandbelltower.Meanwhile,thecity’sSant
JoanSquare,theauthenticnervecentreofthecity,ispresi-
dedoverbytheneo-gothicstylechurchofthesamename.
Historical
icons
ofthecity
ofLleida
The Historic Monument Route of Lleida
goo.gl/maps/kTRkG
$
The remains of the old city walls, churches, Andalus
bathsandthemedievalprison.Thisroutetakesinthe
mainarchaeologicalsitesthathavebeenunearthedin
thehistoriccentreofLleidaandisbasedonfourmain
attractions which are complemented by lesser sites
locatedonthepremisesofvariouscommercialestablish-
ments.Here,visitorswillfindtheremainsofwhatwere
oncethewallsandtowersofthecity,backinmedieval
timesandduringtheAndalusandfeudalperiods.They
willalsofindtheremainsofthe13th
centurytanneries,
which are the oldest conserved in the whole of Spain,
theruinsoftheapseoftheformerRomanesquechurch
ofSantJoan,theremainsoftheAndalusbathsandthe
formerprisonlocatedinthebasementoftheLaPaeria
Palace(today’sCityHall).
Archaeological
remains
oflittle-known
Lleida
Secret Lleida
goo.gl/maps/UFC4T
Turisme de Lleida
T. 973 700 402
turismedelleida.cat
On line
booking$
45. 45
When Ramon Berenguer IV, the Count of Barcelona,
began the siege of Lleida’s Muslim city from Gardeny
Hillin1149,hereceivedthesupporttheKnightsTemplar
militia,amediaevalreligiousinstitution.Oncethecity
hadbeentaken,inappreciationfortheirhelp,theCount
gavethemilitiaseveralproperties,includingGardeny
Hill.Nowadays,over800yearslater,visitorscandiscover
what the Templar base was like and revisit the way of
lifeandtheidealsoftheTemplarorder.TheCentrefor
Interpretation offers visitors a piece of the history of
thecityofLleidainaverydidacticandaccessibleway.
TogetherwiththetownsofMiravet,Montsó,Peníscola
andTortosa,Gardenyformspartofthe“DomusTempli”
KnightsTemplarRoute”.Thesitealsooffersaninfor-
mationofficeandothertourismservices.
Thecommand
centre
ofthemilitary
monks
The Templar Route
Turó de Gardeny
T. 973 271 942 · turismedelleida.cat
Domus Templi
T. 973 700 402 · domustempli.com goo.gl/maps/kcsak
Audio
Guide
service
On line
booking
TheprovinceofLleidacontains16oftheprehistoricsites
whichformpartofthegrouplocatedintheMediterra-
neanarcthatwasdeclaredaUNESCOWorldHeritage
Sitein1998.Oftheseremains,itisparticularlyrelevant
tohighlighttheRocadelsMoros(Moors’Rock),inthe
municipalityofElCogul.Thissite,whichbelongstothe
Palaeolithic period, was discovered in 1908 and con-
tains42humanandanimalfigures,whicharegrouped
together in hunting scenes, as well as over 250 other
prints. Another site worthy of mention is the Bronze
AgeCova,orBalma(Cave)delsVilars,nearthevillage
ofOsdeBalaguer.
other cave art remains
Les GarriguesL’Albi,LesBorgesBlanques.El Segrià
LaGranjad’Escarp,Alfés.La NogueraCamarasa,Alòs
de Balaguer, Artesa de Segre, Vilanova de Meià, Pera-
mola. Alt Urgell Peramola. La Cerdanya Bellver de
Cerdanya.Pallars Jussà Tremp.
Themagicof
ourmostdistant
ancestors
The Cave Art Route
Ruta de l’art rupestre
T. 973142658·turismegarrigues.com
T. 973 448 933 · montsec.cat
T. 973 353 112 · ccau.cat
Guided
visits to
Els Vilars
Visits must
be booked
in advance
goo.gl/maps/QGw0R
$
46. 46
FortwocenturiestheLandsofLleidaformedthefron-
tier between two civilisations: the Arab and Christian
worlds.Severalcastlesstillremainassilentwitnesses
ofthosetimes.ScatteredacrosstheterritoryofLleida,
although not immense fortresses, they are majestic
and well conserved, often standing on hilltop sites to
guarantee the security of frontier areas and as visible
symbolsofpower.TheycanbefoundinElPallarsJussà,
La Noguera, La Segarra, L’Urgell and Les Garrigues.
Some of these castles are now also venues for music
concertsonsummernights.
La NogueraTheCastleofMontsonísstillconserves
itsprisonandasecretescapepassage.TheCastleofLa
Ràpita(private).TheCastleofOsdeBalaguercurrently
houses the Bell Museum of Catalonia. The Castle and
Religious Community of Sant Pere d’Àger. L’Urgell
The Castle of Montclar is renowned for the stairway
to its noble quarters, its music room, library, stately
diningroom,prisonandcellar.TheCastleofVerdú.The
Castle of Maldà. The Castle of Ciutadilla. La Segarra
TheCastleofLesPallarguesisfamousforthe13metre
gothic-style arch on its facade, its spacious halls and
largewindows,undergroundprison,icewell,cellarand
systemofchannelscarvedoutoftherock.TheCastleof
Florejacsisaveritablemuseumwithhistoricfurnitu-
re, paintings, cellar, dungeon and a lovely bedroom. It
housesobjectsfromvarioushistoricalperiodsandhas
asecretpassageandinterestingcollectionofarms.The
CastleofVicfredhasa2km-longsecretpassagewhichis
hiddenbehindasmalldoor.TheTowerofVallferosais
oneofthebestexamplesof10th
centuryEuropeanmili-
taryarchitecture.ThestrategicpositionoftheCastleof
LesSitgesmadeitanimportantprotagonistintheHigh
Middle Ages during the struggle between Christians
and Saracens. The Castle of de Concabella houses the
Centre for Interpreting the Castles of the River Sió.El
Pallars Jussà The Castle of Mur offers spectacular
views over the Tremp river basin and the Terradets
reservoir.Featurestohighlightincludethesystemfor
usingwaterandthecapitalsofitscloister.TheCastleof
Llordàisoneofthebestexamplesofresidentialarchi-
tecturefromthehighmedievalperiodinCatalonia.It
is possible to organise guided visits to the Museum of
theConcaDellà.Moreexamplesoffrontiercastlescan
be found in the remains of the medieval fortresses of
Sant Gervàs, d’Orcau and Guàrdia de Mur and there
arealsoanumberofwatchtowersscatteredacrossthe
comarca.Les GarriguesTheCastleofLaFloresta.The
Castle of L’Espluga Calba. The Castle of Arbeca. The
CastleofL’Albi.
Fortressesbetween
theArabandChristianworlds
The Castle Routes
Castles of Lleida
T. 973 402 045 · castellsdelleida.com
Local District Council of La Noguera
T. 973 448 933 · ccnoguera.cat
Local District Council of L’Urgell
T. 973 500 707 · urgell.cat
Local District Council of La Segarra
T. 973 531 300 · lasegarra.org
Local District Council of El Pallars Jussà
T. 973 650 187 · pallarsjussa.org
Local District Council of Les Garrigues
T. 973 142 658 · ccgarrigues.com goo.gl/maps/6K38s
Guided
visits Q Y
$
48. 48
Consell Comarcal
de l’Alt Urgell
T. 973 353 112
ccau.cat
ThisisaroutethatbeginsandendsatOrganyàandwhich
runsthroughtheCabóvalley.Alongtheway,visitorswill
findvariousexamplesofNeolithicfuneraryconstructi-
ons(atSerratdelesCobertrades,Colomera,Serratde
Malpàs,MolídeFavà,ClotdelesCanyes,Pedracabana
andl’Oliva),butitisalsoanopportunitytowalkthrough
pine and oak woodland, to remember some of the va-
lley’s long-lost trades related to these woodlands and
todiscoverthearea’sexquisitecuredmeatproducts...
Neolithic
funerary
monuments
The Dolmen Route
goo.gl/maps/5wZfv
32
km
Signposted
routeY $
ThefamousCamídeSantJaume(WayofSaintJames),
whichunitesthemanypathstoSantiagodeCompostel·
la,alsohasanumberofsectionswhichpassthroughthe
Lands of Lleida. One of these routes takes travellers
through the history and culture of the Way, providing
instructionsabouthowtodothepilgrimage,mapsand
ideasofwheretostayalongtheroute.Themainbranch
oftheWaythatrunsthroughCataloniagoesfromSant
PeredeRodes(intheextremeeastofthepeninsula)to
themonasteryofMontserrat.ThesectionfromMont-
serrat to Alcarràs (in the extreme west of Catalonia)
mainly passes through the Lands of Lleida. This 140
kmlongroutecanbedonein5stages.Othertransversal
variantswithintheterritorypassthroughTàrregaand
othersettlementsinL’UrgellandBalaguerorcomefrom
TarragonaandpassthroughVallbonadelesMongesand
BellpuigbeforereachingLleida.
TheCatalan
connectionto
thepilgrimage
The Way of Saint James
140km
Montserrat
Alcarràs
Stages
25-30km
Signposted
route
Camí de Sant Jaume
camidesantjaume.cat
Tourism Office
of the Generalitat
T. 973 248 840 goo.gl/maps/NZFGB
51. 51
Local Council
of Vallbona de les Monges
T. 973 330 260 · larutadelcister.info
Local District Tourist
Information Office of L’Urgell
T. 973 500 707 · urgell.cat
Consell Comarcal
of La Segarra
T. 973 531 300 · lasegarra.org
TheL-2isasectionofthedefensivelinethatwascons-
tructedinthecomarques(localdistricts)ofL’Urgelland
La Segarra during the Spanish Civil War as a fortified
militarylinetodefendtherepublic.Theroutethrough
what was a zone of conflict during the war is a project
designedwithhistoricrigourtomeetthedualobjective
ofrecoveringthecollectivememoryandconservingand
disseminatingtheprinciplesoffreedomanddemocracy.
Ithasbeenorganisedintothreethematicblocksorgani-
sedaroundacentralthreadwhichplacestheemphasis
ontheindividualandonhumansuffering.Thefirstblock
presentsarbitraryactionsandreprisalsintherepublican
zone,startingwiththeactionsofuncontrolledelements
andtheSIM.Thesecondshowshowdifficultlifewasin
theimmediaterearguard.Thethirdblockwillshowhow
lifewasunderthenewlyimposedFrancoistregime.It
is possible to see various
types of construction:
trenches, sniping nests,
coveredtrenches,machine
gunnestsandobservation
points.
Witnesses
totheSpanish
CivilWar
Thelegacy
oftheLord
ofÀger
L-2: the Republican
Defensive Line
Guided
visits
Local Council of Àger
T. 973 455 004 · ager.cat
Peperepep Cultural
T. 677 701 820 · castellmur.cat
Museum of La Conca Dellà
and Tourism Office of Isona
T. 973 665 062 · isona.cat
TheArnauMirdeTostRouteisanauthentictripback
through time to the 11th
century when the sierra of El
MontsecservedasafrontierbetweenMuslimandChris-
tian territories. It was at that time that Arnau Mir de
Tost crossed this frontier and captured Àger from the
Muslims,therebyextendingtheChristian-heldterritory
towardsthesouth.Heleftbehindalargeandimportant
patrimony:castles,watchtowers,palaces,churches,etc.
Theroutefeaturesasitsmainpointsofinterestthecastle
andreligiouscommunityofSantPered’Àger,thecastle
ofMur,thecollegiatechurchofSantaMariadeMurand
thecastle-residentialpalaceofLlordà.
The Arnau Mir de Tost Route
goo.gl/maps/mSTKB
QGuided
visits
goo.gl/maps/poeUh
Y
Q$
52. 52
Onthisroute,visitorscanrelivesomeofthecustoms
ofothertimesanddiscoverimportantjewelsofRoma-
nesque art and architecture. Leaving Solsona by the
C-55, visitors should turn off towards the Sant Ponç
reservoirandthechurchofSantaMargaridadeNavès
andthengoontowardsBerga,followingtheRiverAigua
d’OrauntiltheyreachthefootoftheBusacliff.Inthis
wide valley, they will find the Ecological Museum of
the Vall d’Ora, where it is possible to learn about the
oldsawmillandvisittheCal’Ambròsmill.Visitorscan
alsogototheoldschool,whichnowhousesasmalltool
museum. They can then cross a Romanesque-style
bridge and see the monument in memory of Count
Guifré - who is said to have been mortally wounded
in this valley - and visit the hermitage of Sant Lleïr.
Later, visitors will find a church that belonged to the
10th century Romanesque monastery
of Sant Pere de Graudescales. Finally,
on the route back to Solsona, along the
C-26,visitorscanvisittheRomanesque
church of Sant Esteve d’Olius and the
nearbyArtNouevaucemetery.
Following
inthefootsteps
ofCountGuifré
elPelós
The Vall d’Ora
Tourist Office
of El Solsonès
T. 973 482 310
turismesolsones.com goo.gl/maps/w3nQb
Q
TheLakesTrainisahistorictouristicrailwayconvoythat
connectsLleidatoLaPobladeSegurbyrail.Itcrosses
threedifferentcomarques(localdistricts)andtherefore
allowstravellerstodiscoverthishighlyvariedterritory
fromthewindowofatrain:thefertilefieldsoftheplain,
therough,calcareousandconglomeratecliffsandgorges
ofElMontsec,thecalmwatersoffourlakes...andallofthis
withthepeaksofthePyreneesinthebackground.Thisisa
routethatcanbefollowedeverydayonconventionaltrains
andthetripcanbecombinedwithawiderangeofparallel
activitiesofferedineachofthecomarques.Visitorsshould
consulttheroutewebsitetodiscoverthedaysoftheyear
onwhichthisroutecanbecoveredonahistorictrain.Once
visitorsarriveatLaPobladeSegur,theycancomplement
thiswonderfuljourneyonahistorictrainwitharangeof
outingsandguidedvisits:ArtNouveaubuildingsinLaPobla
deSegur,themuseum-shopsofSalas,theVisitors’Centre
ofElPallarsJussà,theHydroelectricPowerMuseumof
theVallFoscaandtheCastelld’Encúswinery.
Fromtheplain
tothemountains,
onahistorictrain
The Lakes Train
Book
in advance
Guided
visits
Tren dels llacs
trendelsllacs.cat
Municipal Tourism Office of
La Pobla de Segur
T. 973 680 257 goo.gl/maps/NZFGB
S
53. 53
The Llobregós River Valley, in La Segarra, is a Space
of Natural Interest, within the triangle formed by the
villagesofSanaüja,BioscaandMassoteres.Thevalley
offersanumberofpossibleroutestocompleteonfoot
or by MTB, with walkers using their own instincts or
followingoneoffoursign-postedroutes.Thisisanarea
withuniquecharacteristicsasfarasitsgeologicalfor-
mation,vegetationandfaunaareconcerned.Inshort,
this1,190hectaresiteformspartofwhatisafragileand
vulnerablebutwell-conservedarea.
1,190
hectares
ofLaSegarra
Route through
the Llobregós River Valley
Guided
visits
Local District Tourism
Office of La Segarra
T. 973 531 300
lasegarra.org goo.gl/maps/g8c6n
Y $
Thishistoricalroute,whichisnowsign-posted,usedto
beusedbyreapers,carriers,militia,bandits,musicians
andsmugglers.Inparticular,reapersusedtotravelalong
itatthebeginningofJuneastheywentlookingforwork.
In1906,thepainterPabloPicassoalsofolloweditduring
hisstayinthearea.Thisseventoeighthourtrekstarts
atGósolandendsatBellverdeCerdanya,crossingthe
CadíRidgealongtheway.Duringthetrek,visitorscan
discover the Pyrenean landscape and the fauna of the
Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park. In winter, the route can
befollowedbyskiesoronsnowshoes.Thereisalsothe
optionofdoingtheReapers’Route-alsoknownasthe
CerdanyaWay-overtwodays,becausetheCèsarAugust
Torrasmountainshelteroffersthepossibilityofmaking
anovernightstaybeforecontinuingalongtherouteon
thefollowingmorning.
Looking
forworkon
theCadíRidge
The Reapers’ Route
7-8
hours
Centre for Organising
Mountain Activities of Gósol
T. 973 370 016
Tourist Board
of Bellver de Cerdanya
T. 973 510 229
Local Council of Gósol
T. 973 370 055 · gosol.ddl.net
Bellver de Cerdanya
T. 973 510 016 · bellver.org
goo.gl/maps/Uxzpr
$
54. 54
This route is based on the myths and legends of the
Pyrenees which have been compiled in the books of
Pep Coll and Joan Obiols. The Minairons (elves) are
tiny and mischievous beings that can be found inside
thereceptaclesinwhichtheirownerskeepthemorup
inthemountainsandinhiddencornersonSaintJohn’s
Eve(Midsummer’sEve).Ratherthanarouteassuch,this
is more of a proposal which groups together different
locations in the Aguilar valleys that can be visited in
anyorder.VisitorswillpasstheGuàrdiaD’Aresboulder
quarry, the Taús scree, the Biscarbó dolmen and the
Encantades(delights)ofCastellàsdeCantó.Theycan
also visit Argestues and Noves de Segre and discover
theirlegends.
Atrip
totheLand
oftheElves
Route of the “Minairons”
Local District Tourism
Office of L’Alt Urgell
T. 973 353 112
ccau.cat goo.gl/maps/zWkMh
102
km Q $
Takeastrolltodiscoverthemarkedlyruralcharacterofthe
landscapesofElSolsonès,wherethemasies(farmhouses)
andchurchesthatarescatteredacrosstheterritoryshapea
landscapeofremarkablebeauty.HavingvisitedSolsonaand
itshistoriccentre,visitorswalkingalongthisroutewillfirst
crosstheRiverCardenerandpasstheLlosadelCavallreser-
voir,thenvisitthechurchandtheRomanesquecloisterand
seetheMuseumoftheValldeLordandthehistoricalcentreof
SantLlorençdeMorunys,avillagewhichispopularlyknown
asSantLlorençdelsPiteus(duetotheitsindustrypastwhich
wasassociatedwiththeproductionofPiteucloth).Walkers
willthengoontovisittheFontPuda,thevillageofLaComa,
the source of the River Cardener and the Port del Compte
pass,beforegoingthroughtheColldeJouandontoCambrils,
whereitispossibletovisitthesaltmines.Trekkerscanthen
continueontowardstheSerraSecavantagepoint,theClop
Bridge–underwhichtheRiverRiberaSaladaflows-,Castellar
delaRibera-wheretheruralschoolcanbevisited-,andon
untiltheycomebacktoSolsonaonceagain.
ElSolsonès,
athousand
farmhouses
A Natural World
Tourism Office
of El Solsonès
T. 973 482 310
turismesolsones.com goo.gl/maps/E4tQh
Q
55. 55
Centre for Visits
to El Pallars Jussà
T. 973 650 187
pallarsjussa.net
Local Council of Tremp
T. 973 650 005
ajuntamentdetremp.cat
Thisisa31-kilometrecircularroutewhichcanbedone
onfoot,byMTBorbycar.TheroutestartsatPontd’Orrit
andpassesthroughseveralvillages,includingTorrede
Tamúrcia(whichhousestheVultureCentre),Esplugade
Serra,CastelletandSapeira.Thisisavalleysurroundedby
thecalcareousandconglomeratedmountainranges,like
theSantGervàsridge,thatseparatethePre-Pyreneesfrom
thePyrenees.Ithaslandscapesofgreatnatural,cultural
andscenicinterestandisalocationthatsimplyemanates
peaceandtranquillityunderthecalminginfluenceofits
ever-presentsheep.Thisisaverylow-difficultlyrouteand
issuitableforpeopleofallages.Therearebirdshereall
thetimeandespeciallybirdsofpreysuchasthebearded
vulture,commonvultureandEgyptianvultureandalso
thegoldeneagle,eagleowlandperegrinefalcon.Inspring
andsummer,migratorybirdscanalsobeseenhere,ascan
otherspeciesoffaunasuchasthewildcat,fox,wildboar
and,onoccasion,thePyreneanchamois.
Aroute
oflandscapes,
faunaandgeology
The Valley of the Vultures
goo.gl/maps/6V20a
YQ $32
km
The Ivars and Vila-sana Pool was recovered in 2005
afterithadbeendriedoutinthe1950s.Itisthelargest
inlandlakeinCataloniaanditsfourthlargestwetland
area.Asaresult,itisanexcellentplacetovisitinorderto
observeover210differentspeciesofbirds.Itisequipped
withobservationpointsandpicnicareasandalsooffers
bicycles for hire and two information points, where it
isalsopossibletohirebinoculars.Overtheyear,ithas
also been a venue for a series of educational, sporting
andleisureactivities.Aswellastheintrinsicinterestof
this space, the pool is at the centre of four of the most
important tourist routes through the comarca (local
district)ofElPlad’Urgell:theornithologicalroute,the
horseback route, the route through the surrounding
municipalareasandthevariantoftheCatalansection
oftheWayofSaintJames.
Thelargest
inlandlake
inCatalonia
Routes to the Ivars
and Vila-sana Pool
Tourist Information
Office of the Ivars
and Vila-sana Pool
T. 973 711 313
estanyivarsvilasana.cat
Consell Comarcal
del Pla d’Urgell
plaurgell.cat
goo.gl/maps/RcRHG
6
km
2
hours
Guided
visits
56. 56
Although Les Garrigues is a dry comarca (local dis-
trict) which is known, above all, for its dry land crops,
itsnorthernpartisirrigatedbythewatersoftheCanal
d’Urgell.Thisiswhereitscapital,LesBorgesBlanques,
andJuneda-thetwomunicipaldistrictsthroughwhich
thiscircularrouteruns–arelocated;itispossibletostart
the route from either of these settlements. Although
the route is very flat, visitors will find a number of wa-
terfalls which were once used to generate electricity.
Thisexplainssomeoftheirnames:“Primeramàquina”
(first machine), “Segona màquina” (second machine)
and Nou Salts (New Falls). Just outside Juneda, there
isalsoaleisureareaknownasSaltDesfet(Dismantled
Falls).Almostthewholeroutefollowsasmallfootpath
thatrunsalongsidethewaterintheshadeoflargetrees;
insummer,thisoffersmuchappreciatedshadeinthis
partofinlandCatalonia.
Thehumid
trackthrough
adrydistrict
The Les Garrigues Canal
18
km
All year
Consell Comarcal
de les Garrigues
T. 973 142 658
ccgarrigues.com goo.gl/maps/nFLjk
Y $7h
—
8h
Signposted
route
Local District
Tourist Board
of L’Alta Ribagorça
T. 973 690 402
turismealtaribagorca.cat
L’AltaRibagorçastandsoutforitsgreatnumberoflakes
andthewatersthatflowwithforceandwhichdefinethe
networkofpathwaysthatcrossthecomarca(localdis-
trict)fromnorthtosouthandfromeasttowest.There
areage-oldpaths,horseshoetrails,royalroutes,livestock
pathsandpathsthroughthemountainsthat,aboveall,
allowustocomeintocontactwiththenaturalenviron-
mentbyexaminingallofitshiddencorners.TheWater
Routerunsalongdifferentstretchesofthisnetworkof
traditionalpathways,closelyfollowingthemainrivers
thatpassthroughthecomarcaandconnectingthetail
oftheEscalesreservoirandthemonasteryofLavaix,at
ElPontdeSuert,tothespaofCaldesdeBoí.
Following
themurmur
oftherivers
The Water Route
goo.gl/maps/dS2iL
Y $7-8
hours
57. 57
FromthesouthtothenorthoftheLandsofLleida,from
theplaintothemountains,thereareseveralareaswhere
different bird species have found a place to settle and
breed.InthesouthofLleida,forexample,therearetwo
wetlandareas:theAiguabarreig(riverconfluence)and
Utxesa,bothinthecomarca(localdistrict)ofElSegriàt
The Aiguabarreig is a breeding area for heron species,
including the black-crowned night heron, the cattle
egret, the little egret and the squacco heron. Visitors
can arrive here via the LP-7041, the road which leads
towardsSoses,SeròsandLaGranjad’Escarp.
To get to Utxesa, visitors can leave from Torres de
Segre,whereitiseasytoseethewesternmarshharrier
throughouttheyear.ThevillagesofAlfés,SarrocadeLlei-
da,Llardecans,SudanellandAlbatàrreccanallbevisited
alongtheway.Thisisasteppearea,wherevisitorsaresure
toseethecalandralark,thetheklalarkortheEurasian
dotterelinwinter;iftheygothereinsummer,thelesser
greyshrike,thegreatershort-toedlark,theEuropeanbee-
eaterandtheEuropeanrollercanalsobeareseenthere.
TheareaaroundMenàrguensistheperfectplaceto
seethelesserkestrel,asthisisanareawherethereare
severalnestingtowers.Visitors canthencontinuealong
theroutefollowingtheC-12andC-13towardsMontsec.
There are then 14 sign-posted routes to guide them to
thebestplacesforbirdwatching.Alongtheseroutes,it
ispossibletoobservebirdsofpreysuchasthebearded
vulture,Bonelli’seagleandtheEgyptianvulture.Onceat
Tremp,itispossibletoseeotherbirdsofpreyincluding
the bearded vulture. Visitors can then continue on up
towardsthePyrenees,followingtheN-260andC-13,as
farasthesmallvillageofEspotwhichistheentrypointto
Birdingparadises:
thePyrenees
andtheLandofLleida
The Ornithological Route
Local District
Tourist Board
of L’Alta Ribagorça
T. 973 690 353
turismealtaribagorca.cat
Local District Tourism
Office of El Pallars Sobirà
T. 973 621 002 · pallarssobira.cat
Consell comarcal
de la Noguera
T. 973 448 933 · montsec.cat
Consell comarcal
del Pallars Jussà
T. 973 650 187 · pallarsjussa.net
Consell comarcal
del Pla d’Urgell
T. 973 711 313 · plaurgell.cat
goo.gl/maps/vPf2k
YQ $
theAigüestortesiEstanydeSantMauriciNationalPark,
atypicalhighmountainlocationwhereitispossibleto
see such nesting species as the black woodpecker, the
alpine chough and the red crossbill. At the Escalarre
marsh,whichcanbereachedbyfollowingthesameC-13,
intheHighPyreneesNaturalParkandattheheightof
Guingueta d’Àneu, there are other interesting species
toobservesuchasthelittlegrebe,thegreatcormorant,
thegreyheron,thecommonmoorhen,themallardand
thecommonkingfisher.
58. 58
7h
—
8h
Torisme Val d’Aran
T. 973 640 688
visitvaldaran.com
senderismovaldaran.com
TheAigüestortesiEstanydeSantMauriciNationalPark
offers mountains over 3,000 metres high, spectacular
lakesandwaterfalls,signpostedfootpathsforwalkers
ofeverylevelandawiderangeofotherleisureactivities
associatedwithtrekking.TheVald’Aran,withover300
kmofsign-postedfootpaths,guaranteesthewidestva-
rietyoftrekkingoptions,sochoosingarouteisthemost
difficult thing to do. This comarca (local district) also
hasaseriesofthemeroutes,designedbyprofessionals,
totakevisitorstothewildestexamplesofnatureandto
allowthemtodiscoverthebesthiddenandmostremote
cornersofthisterritory.
Routes:CaminReiau:150km,caminreiau.cat;Carrosde
Foc:55km,carrosdefoc.com;Pass’aran:64km,passaran.
com;4cumbres,4lenguas:50km,camins.net;Encantats:
92km,camins.net;SetauSagèth:103km,setausageth.com;
ElGranBlucle:setausageth.com;ViaCalda:camins.net.
*Thelastfiveoftheseroutesformpartofthe“Walkwithoutluggage”route.
Walking,thebest
waytodiscover
theVald’Aran
On Foot through the Val d’Aran
goo.gl/maps/nGUkL
$8
routes
TheVald’Aranhasover400kmofofficialMTBroutes
whichareaccessibletocyclistsofalllevels.Theserange
fromasimple,butevocative,ridetothesteepest,most
technicalanddemandingofrides.Thecomarca (local
district)alsocontainsvariousotherorganisedroutes,
with established, well-defined circuits, which make it
possibletoconcentrateononlytherouteitself.
Routes: Era Ròda: 210 km, an accumulated ascent of
7600m, eraroda.com; Pedals de Foc: 220 km, an accu-
mulated ascent of 5800m, pedalsdefoc.com; Pedals
d’Occitània:227km,anaccumulatedascentof6000m,
pedalsdoccitania.com;LeDéfiOccitan:197km,anaccu-
mulatedascentof4500m,ledefioccitan.com.
Over
400km
ofMTBroutes
By Bicycle through the Val d’Aran
Torisme Val d’Aran
T. 973 640 688
visitvaldaran.com
bikingvaldaran.com goo.gl/maps/nGUkL
Y7h
—
8h
4
routes
59. 59
Leaving the village of Almatret, at the southern end
ofthecomarca(localdistrict)ofElSegriàbehind,this
route offers walkers the possibility of enjoying one of
theexceptionallandscapesoftheLandsofLleida.This
isoneofthefewareasintheterritoryvisitedbytheRi-
verEbroanditispossibletofindtheremainsofmining
activityonitsbanks.Itslocation,onahighplateau,offers
privilegedviewsovertherivermeanders.Thiswasone
ofthescenesoftheBattleoftheEbroandattheendof
theroute,attheLaPenacliff,itispossibletoseeformer
combat trenches and an embedded mountain bunker
whichhavebeenmaintainedinperfectcondition.The
route,whichiswell-signposted,canbefollowedonfoot
orbyMBT.
Views
over
theRiverEbro
From Almatret to the “La Pena“cliff
Signposted
route
Almatret Local Council
T. 973 138 013
almatret.cat goo.gl/maps/RfZD1
Y $10.6
km
Tourist Board
of the Vall Fosca
T. 973 663 001
vallfosca.net
Tourist Information
Office of La Pobla de Segur
T. 973 680 257
pobladesegur.cat
Thisoldrailwayline,whichwasusedinthebuildingof
some of the hydroelectric plant infrastructure of the
Pyrenees, is now a cycle-tourism and trekking route.
Theformertrackscanstillbeseeninplaces.Thereare5
kilometresofamazingviewsalongthestretchbetween
theEstanyGentopoolandthewatersofCapdella.The
route continues as far as the village of Espui and the
neighbouringÀssuavalley,inthecomarca(localdistrict)
ofElPallarsSobirà.Inordertogettothestartingpoint,
walkersmustfirstgotoCapdella(L-S03road)andthe
Sallentereservoirwherethereisacable-cartotheEstany
Gento pool (which operates from July to September).
ThereisanalternativeroutefromEspuithatfollowsa
foresttrackthroughtheTriadorcol.
Following
theold
railwayline
The Green Route through the Vall Fosca
goo.gl/maps/KDTrT
Y $5
km
60. 60
The“LivingPathways”routeaimstopromotetrekking
as an instrument for local development by creating a
circularroutearoundtheAigüestortesiEstanydeSant
MauriciNationalPark.Thisinitiativestartedwiththe
recoveryofthehistoricalpathsthat,sincetimeimme-
morial,haveinterconnectedthevalleysthatsurround
this national park. This route joins together different
comarques(localdistricts),valleys,andinhabitednuclei,
allowingvisitorstodiscovertheenormousnaturaland
culturalheritageofthispartofthePyrenees.
These traditional paths therefore offer a trekking
experiencethatalsoguaranteestheirpreservationand
rehabilitation and the development of the villages in
the area of influence of the national park by offering
differenttypesofsustainable,non-motorisedtourism.
These238kmofwalkingpathsmakeitpossibletodis-
cover the human and natural landscapes associated
withtheseroutesandthehistoryandculturethatthey
represent.Thesearepathswhichjointogetherthesix
differentvalleysthathousethepresentAigüestortesi
EstanydeSantMauriciNationalPark:theVallsd’Àneu,
Valld’Àssua,VallFosca,ValldeBoí,ValldeBarravésand
Val d’Aran. These valleys are joined by three historic
mountainpasses:thePortdeVielha,PortdelaBonaigua
andPortdeRus.
Thewalkaroundthenationalparkcanbecoveredin
7or9one-daystages,dependingonthetypeoftrekking
undertaken and the physical fitness of the walker in
question.Eachstageendsatavillagewherethewalker
can stay overnight in a hotel or mountain shelter and
take advantage of this to get to know and enjoy the in-
tensivelyofvillagelifeandalsotherichculturalheritage
ofRomanesqueartandarchitecture.
Awalkonfoot
through
theAigüestortes
NationalPark
Living Pathways
Aigüestortes i Estany
de Sant Maurici National Park
Casa del Parc Nacional
d’Espot
T. 973 624 036
c/ de Sant Maurici, 5, Espot
Casa del Parc Nacional
de Boí
Ca de Simamet
T. 973 696 189
c/ de les Graieres, 2, Boí
goo.gl/maps/HmGHa
$
Guided
visits
7-9
stages
-
At www.gencat.cat/parcs/aigüestortes
it is possible to find the different route stages.
They are presented for the two modalities
in the section dedicated to 2D and 3D
of the itineraries through the National Park.
Q
61. 61
Centre for Municipal
Initiatives of Ponts
T. 973 462 233
Tourism Office of Balaguer
T. 973 445 194 ·balaguer.cat
Tourism Office of L’Urgell
T. 973 500 707 · urgell.cat
Tourism Office of El Pla d’Urgell
T. 973 711313 · plaurgell.cat
Tourism Office of Les Garrigues
T.973142658·turismegarrigues.com
Tourism Office of El Segrià
T. 973 270 997 · turismelleida.cat
TheCanald’Urgell,whichwasbuiltinthemiddleofthe1st
century,crossesfiveofthecomarques(localdistricts)ofthe
LandsofLleida.ItstartsatPonts(LaNoguera),runsthrough
L’Urgell,ElPlad’UrgellandLesGarriguesandendsatMontoliu
deLleida(ElSegrià).Itirrigatesatotalsurfaceareaof90,000
hectareswhichhavemadetheLleidaplainoneofthemost
fertileandproductiveareasinCatalonia.Thisgenerallyflat
landmakesthisaparticularlysuitableareaforpleasantwalks
anditispossibletofollowthese14routesonfootorbybicycle,
followingsign-posteditinerariesofdifferentdifficultiesand
durations:1:HeadwatersofPonts.2:Montclartunnel.3:Barony
ofBellpuig.4:ThirdchannelandtheDuranFalls.5:Channeland
theNewFalls.6: BaixSegrià.7:AgramuntandtheIronBridge.
8: Sub-canalofUrgell.9:AgramuntandtheLavenderMill.10:
ArtesadeSegreandElCastellot. 11:Channel-embankment
ofCastellserà.12: SecondchannelandtheCastelldelRemei.
13: FromTornaboustoBellpuig.14: IvarsandVila-sanaPool.
Alltheroutes
alongthecanal
Routes along the Canal d’Urgell
goo.gl/maps/quWAw
Q $
Visits
to Castell
del Remei
Guided
Visits
There are many ways to reach the Utxesa reservoir in
thecomarca(localdistrict)ofElSegriàandtheyalloffer
somethingspecialforthevisitor.GoingtherefromTorres
deSegre,youshouldvisitthepartofthenaturalroutethat
runsfor2kmalongthebanksoftheRiverSegrewithits
vantagepoints,restareaandlargecolonyofwhitestork.
Youcanalsoseetheoldmill,whichhasnowbeenturned
intotheMuseumofEvolution,thecastlewalls,historic
housesandmunicipalchurch.Goingonforanother3km,
youwillcometothebridgethatcrossestheCanaldeSeròs.
Here,youcanfollowthenatureroutesignstoUtxesaor
branchoffandvisitCarrassumadahill,fromwhereitis
possibletovisitthehermitageandenjoyviewsoverthe
landscapes of the comarca of El Segrià. If you go to Ut-
xesafromSarrocadeLleida,youcanfollowaruraltrack
directlytothereservoirandjustbeforeyougetthere,you
willseetheremainsoftheoldcastleandchurchofSarroca.
TravellingfromAitona,youcanvisitthecastleandthen
goontoUtxesafollowingthePathwayacrossthePlains.
Then you can visit the “La Canadenca” hydroelectric
powerstationandthereservoirsofXimoandBurgebut.
OnarrivingatUtxesa,theroutearoundthereservoiris
signposted and there are
severalvantagepoints,rest
areas and an information
point.Itisalsopossibleto
hire bicycles there and to
bookguidedvisits.
Alltheroutesthat
leadtoUtxesa
Routes through Utxesa
goo.gl/maps/C4TLZ
Consorci d’Utxesa
T. 660 612 615
Y
Q$
62. 62
ElPallarsSobiràisalandofbridges,whichwerebuiltin
mediaevaltimesinordertoconnectvillagesandvalleys.
Mostofthemstillcontinuetostandfirmandlookimpo-
sing,eventothisday,givinganideaofthelargenetwork
of bridle paths that El Pallars Sobirà still conserves.
VillagessuchasGerridelaSal,Unarre,Esterrid’Àneu,
Borén,Isil,Alós,Espot,LaTorrassa,Escart,Tavascan,
Cassibrós,LladrósandLladorreareplaceswherevisi-
tors can enjoy these marvellous constructions which
represent an important part of the cultural heritage
of this comarca (local district). This itinerary follows
part of the trajectory of the River Noguera de Cardós,
crossingfromonebanktotheotherbymeansofthese
mediaevalbridges.
Imposing
Medieval
constructionsand
communications
The Mediaeval Bridges Route
Local District Tourism
Office of El Pallars Sobirà
T.973 621 002
turisme.pallarssobira.cat goo.gl/maps/HAKH3
$
High Pyrenees Natural Park
T. 973 622 335
parcsdecatalunya.net
Local District Tourism
Office of El Pallars Sobirà
T. 973 621 002
turisme.pallarssobira.cat
Accordingtoage-oldtradition,water,wind,earthand
firearethefourelementsthatmakeuptheworld.They
arealsowhattheironindustryneedstodevelopandin
theVallFerreraallfourcametogether.Thisroute,which
startsatTírviaandendsatAlins,followsthesamepath
thatdonkeysusedtotreadinthepast,loadedwithiron
ingotswhichhadbeenproducedinthethreeforgesofthe
area.Itisaroutewithamildgradientwhichrunsalong
theleft-handbankofNogueradeVallferreraRiverand
offersvisitorsthepossibilitytodiscoveraheritageclosely
linked to iron mining, which was first development in
Romantimesandhaspersisteduntilthepresent.Visi-
tors can follow the interpretation routes through the
BoscdeViróswoods(theCostadelsMenersandBuiro
routes)andaroundAlins(theFallesd’Alins(waterfall)
andTorredelesBruixes(witches’tower)paths).
Woods
ofironin
ElPallars
Sobirà
The Old Forges Route
goo.gl/maps/1jb9h
$
64. 64
RURAL TOURISM
RURAL HOUSE/
ð TR - AGRITOURISM - It
is possible to do agritourism
activities.
Ð TR - RURAL ACCOM-
MODATION: Itisnotpossi-
bletodoagritourismactivities.
MA - B&B farmhouse, detac-
hed house providing accom-
modationservicesandoffering
at least bed and breakfast.
MS - Farmhouse, accommo-
dationlocatedoutsidethevi-
llage, where the whole house
is rented.
CPC - Shared village house,
accommodationlocatedinthe
villagewithindividuallyrented
roomsandofferingatleastbed
and breakfast.
CPI-Independentvillagehou-
se,providingaccommodation
inthevillage,wherethewhole
house is rented.
-
Ł Seal of Rural
Tourism Quality
APARTMENTS
AT - Tourist apartments
HUT-Houseforusebytourists
HOTELS
H - Hotel
HA - Aparthotel
P - Boarding House/Hostel
CAMP SITES
1st - Category
2nd - Category
3rd - Category
SHELTERS
AND HOSTELS
RA-Youthhostelshelter,high
or medium altitude mountain
shelterwithguardandservices,
accessible by road or track
RG - Manned shelter
YOUTH FACILITIES
CC - Holiday activity centre
CJ - Youth camp
AN - Nature classrooms
GE - Farm school
Source: Generalitat de Catalunya,
January 2013, and Torisme Val d’Aran
—
*Add +34 for calls made from
outside Spain
FrancescTur
